Letter: Questions for Red Deer College president

I would like (Red Deer College president) Joel Ward to answer these questions regarding the closing of the music program at RDC, honestly.

Why were the music faculty told the subject of the meeting of May 10, 2018, was a meeting to decide teaching workloads when it was a meeting to terminate their employment?

Why was this decision announced after the scholarship and enrolment deadlines for other universities? This leaves 20+ students with no place to study in the fall, and no financial aid for next year?

Why was the faculty terminated with no notice a time when the job announcements (hiring season) in their field was over. These faculty have no opportunity to find work in their field for next year. Two of five full-time faculty were given buyouts, why were no other buyouts offered?

Why was the recruiting officer for music not given recruiting quotas and held to those numbers?

I recognize RDC’s right to end the program, but these questions address the process that was followed. Why could this have not been a more compassionate and transparent process?

Red Deer resident James Bicigo is married to Karen Gustafson, the former conductor of the Red Deer College Symphonic Winds concert band.